Car-coupling



(No Model.)

N. BOUDREAU.

GAR COUPLING.

10.415,701. Patented Nov. 26.1889.

y UNITED STATES NAPOLEON BOUDREAU,

CAR-CO OF GARDEN, MICHIGAN.

UPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,701, dated November 26, 1889.

Application filed June 24, 1889. Serial No. 315,310. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NAPOLEON BOUDREAU, acltizen of the United States, residing at Garden, in the county of Delta and State of Michigan, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplers; and I do declare the following to be'a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to carconplers, and it looks to an improvement of that class of linkand-pin couplers in which a rolling body is employed to support the pin When raised up out of engagement With the link, the arrange ment being such that the rolling body is knocked out from under the pin by the end of a link entering the draw-head, thereby allowing the pin to drop and engage With the link. In these couplers as heretofore constructed the rolling pin-support cannot move into position to support the pin until the link has been Withdrawn from the draw-head, being forced into the back of the draw-head and retained there by thelink. Itis therefore impossible to separate the ears unless the pin is not only raised but removed 'from the d rawhead.

In making up trains and the like it is i1nportant to economize the time of the men employed and to use no more men than are necessary, and in the operation of coupling and uncouplin g cars it is frequently of advantage' to be able to raise the pin, so as to release the link, and yet leave it in condition to couple automatically when the cars come together again. My invention is designed to meet this requirement, in that it enables the pin to be raised and held up by the rolling support before the link is Withdrawn and remain supported ready to couple automatically when the link again enters the draw-head.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a portion of the end ofa carprovided with my improvements with the pin down. Fig. 2 is an end View of the draw-head with the pin raised. Figs. .3 and 4 are vertical secAh tions of the draw-head With the pin raised,

and Fig. 5 a horizontal section of the dravhead with the pin down.

The mouth of the draw-head A opens into a chamber a, which has parallel side Walls, and to which access can be had through an opening in the top of the draw-bar closed by a suitable lid a. On each side ot the chamber is an inclined ledge B, which may be integral with the draw-head or inserted into it. The incline commences at or near the mouth of the draw-head and runs back at a sharp angle with the oor of the chamber a toapoint beyond the center of the pin-hole a2. Here its direction changes to a lesser angle with the floor of the chamber, and it runs backto the rear Wall of the chamber, preferably on a gentle upward curve during the last third of its length. The junction of the two portions of the incline forms an obtuse angle h, which lies to the rear of the axis of the pin-hole o2. The rear portion of the ledges Bis preferably thickened laterally, being curved, as shown in Fig. 5, to match the end of the link C, the Width of the link being such as -to fit easily between the ledges, whereby, When it is pushed back :into the draw-head, it is held in line with the center of the same. The outer ends of the ledges B are rounded off at b to facilitate the entrance of the link.

' The opening in the top of the draw-head is of such a size as to readily admit to the chambera a roller D, which is received upon the edges B and is preferably provided With a groove d around its middle. The diameter of the roller is such that when it lies against the front Wall of the chamber a its axis intersects the axis of the pin-hole a2. In this position it rests upon the angle l) of the incline, and inasmuch as the point of contact is to the rear of the axis of the roller the tendency of the latter is to resist any force acting ledges at the angle h is less than the thickness of the end of the link, so that the link on entering will somewhat lift the roller and carry it back into the draw-head.

to roll it back into the draw-head, since itl IOO It will beseen that there isroomenoughin the chamberdfor the roller rDin the rearof the pin E, the roller resting on the incline against the pin, as shown in Fig. 5. When the pin is lifted, the roller will gravitate to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4, the body of the link being thinner than its ends to allow the roller to settle down in front of the angle b.v In this position the pin E is supported by the roller with its end in the groove d.' The link can now be withdrawn without disturbing the piu, since the roller merely rises slightly as the end of the link passes under it and then settles down into place again, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When the link enters again, it knocks the roller out from under the pin andl allows it to dropintov place. Even if the link enters.. slowly and gently, the rolleris carried back by rolling contact with the link, sothat` thepin is sure to bek dropped however the-flink may enter.

'Ihegrooved-in the roller guidesfthepin into` ythelower.pin-hole a2.

Inorder that thetrain-inan may lift thepin without going between the cars, a` rock-shaft F issupported in bearings acrossthe end of thel car, havingat each enda depending handlef. An, arm f projects fromthe rock-shaft over tl1e,d1awl 1ead,the end-of` thearm being connectediby a link Gpwith. the head: of the pin E.

When acar isto be uncoupled, the trainman has merely to rock the'shattv F in itsy front of the obtuse angle, substantially as deinner. ends, and!therollerl D, supportedfupon theledges, substantially asdescribed.

4i Thelcombination, with, a, draw-head. 0.011- taining the chamber a, of-theinelinedgledges B, andthe roller l), supportedionsaidledges above theiioor of theAA chamber when, thelink is. Withdrawn, Substantially asdescrbed.

5. 'Ehe combination, with the draw-head containing the-chamber@ and provided with an opening` in its top giving access to. Said chamber, 0f, the. inclined@ ledges. B` on each Side Ofsaid chamber, and. theroller D, having the groove d, adapted to beQ inserted through theopening and be supportedg by its ends upon the ledges; B, substantially asv described.

In testimony whereof laf/fix` ingnaturein presence of two witnesses.

NAEOLEON' BOUDREAU:

Witnesses;

PATRICK MCPHEE, CHARLES OLMSTZED, 

